


Pale Blue Eyes

by Riotstar



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Falling In Love, Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Song Lyrics, Very 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:55:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27524191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riotstar/pseuds/Riotstar
Summary: He still had no idea what any of his new co-workers actually looked like, but the man with the golden hair had such striking eyes, eyes that crinkled expressively whenever he laughed, that Thomas thought he must be very attractive beneath his mask.
Relationships: Thomas Barrow/Jimmy Kent
Comments: 8
Kudos: 30





	Pale Blue Eyes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [irrationalgame](https://archiveofourown.org/users/irrationalgame/gifts).



> It's the Modern Day Coronavirus AU that like two people wanted XD

The first day back at work when Downton Abbey reopened, everyone was wearing masks. Thomas recognised his old colleagues still, by stature and voice alone, but the new team members posed a bit of a problem. He'd been briefly introduced to three new members of the site's restaurant staff, and immediately forgotten their names. So he'd taken to remembering them by his own first impressions. There was a lady with dyed red hair he'd nicknamed Ariel, who was actually called Ivy. _Like poison Ivy from the comics, I suppose_ . A man with ginger hair who was even taller than he was that he'd nicknamed Bean Pole, actually called Alfred. _Like Batman's butler._ Then there was the third, who so far he hadn't found an easy nickname for. He had bright blue eyes and curly blonde, _no, golden_ , hair. His name eluded Thomas.

They had gradually opened the house to visitors again, and Thomas, as the longest serving member of the butlering team, had been given the task of overseeing the newbies. They'd all got off to a decent start, despite some initial tension between Golden Boy and Bean Pole. Thomas suspected they both fancied Ariel a bit, but even through the layer of fabric covering all their faces, he could tell the blue eyed man had the upper hand there. He still had no idea what any of his new co-workers actually looked like, but the man with the golden hair had such striking eyes, eyes that crinkled expressively whenever he laughed, that Thomas thought he must be very attractive beneath his mask. 

The summer opening season moved swiftly, and they settled into an easy routine, of arriving in masks, of cleaning constantly, of manoeuvring deftly around the restaurant's interior to give each other space. In quieter moments, Thomas found himself seeking out the man with the pretty blue eyes for company. He had little in common with the other two, but he'd become friendly with blue eyed man through a shared interest in music. 

"Here, have you heard this one?" Golden Boy held out his phone, a music video open ready for Thomas to view. Thomas took the phone and read the video's title. _Vienna_. 

"Oh yeah, that's my favourite Billy Joel song." He smiled behind his mask, and could tell from the crinkles around his eyes that the other man smiled back. He hit play anyway.

They sat on the lawn in the shade of one of the tall hedges that separated the outdoor restaurant seating from the behind the scenes part of the catering operation. The kitchens were housed in a modern block, a short distance from the main house, and in the lull between tour groups, the butlering staff would hide in the shade, away from the heat of the kitchens and the blazing sun that hadn't let up for months. Thomas had even started to get the opposite of a skiers tan, across his forehead and around his eyes. _How embarrassing. But it's not like anyone's going to see the rest of my face anyway._

The blue eyed man sat with him, headphones on at first, until Thomas had caught a brief snippet of the end of a song, as he unplugged his headphones ready to put them away and get back to work. Thomas had recognised it as the end of _Don't Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow)_. 

"Oh, that's a great song." He'd spoken without meaning to, but the man with the golden hair had turned his gaze to him.

"It is," He replied. "I'm a big fan of Fleetwood Mac, and it's a great tune, reminds me to be hopeful in these trying times." It was impossible at first to gauge people's emotions behind the masks, but Thomas found he'd got better at it over time. The blue eyed man seemed wistful, but not sad.

"I feel that way about _Everyday Is Like Sunday._ " He watched those blue eyes for a sign of recognition, but didn't find it. "It's by Morrissey, give it a listen some time."

"I will, Thomas, isn't it?" Thomas nodded in affirmation. "I'm Jimmy Kent." Thomas could tell he was smiling.

"Let me know what you think, Jimmy Kent." _Back to the grind._

Jimmy had joined him the next day, sans headphones, and told him his thoughts.

"It's a bit dreary, isn't it?" 

"What is?" Thomas looked up from his phone, straight into the cerulean depths.

"The song, _Everyday Is Like Sunday_ , I thought you said it made you feel hopeful?"

"I suppose it is a little gloomy." Thomas laughed. "But it also reminds me to try to be happy where I am." 

"Oh I see." His eyes looked thoughtful for a moment. "I think I get it now. It's a bit like _Think About It_ … That's a Stevie Nicks one, do you know it?" Thomas shook his head, and to his amusement, the golden haired man began to sing, in an unpolished but pleasant voice.

" _Step into the velvet of the morning_

_Let yourself lay back in your dreams_

_Take on the situation but not the torment_

_Now you know it's not as bad as it seems_

_Well I know you'd like to come away_

_But baby you can't come_

_Fortune is your life's love_

_Oh and anytime you think about leaving_

_Think about what you know_

_Well think about it_

_Think about it before you go_ "

"That was nice." Thomas said when he'd finished. 

"I'm not a very good singer." Thomas thought he could see a faint blush, rising above the mask, the slightest hint of pink.

"No, you're alright." Thomas felt the beginning of a blush rise in his cheeks too, at the realisation that the man with the gorgeous eyes had just serenaded him. _It's not like that._

"What about _Don't Dream it's Over_?" Thomas tried to push the notion aside.

"By Crowded House? Yes I love that one!" 

And so the summer had continued, with Ariel, Bean Pole and Jimmy engaged in a bizarre love triangle while they were together, but whenever there was a lull, and Thomas went to rest in the shade, Jimmy of the pretty eyes seemed to turn up at his side.

"I do like a bit of Billy Joel." Thomas lay back, his jacket folded beneath his head, and let the song play.

"You choose the next song." Jimmy suggested, lying down in a similar fashion several feet away from him, pretty eyes closed to the sky. 

"Alright." Thomas handed Jimmy's phone back, and browsed through his own collection of downloaded songs, shielding his eyes with his free hand. _Somebody to Love? Bit on the nose… Brown Eyed Girl? But his are blue… Dream On? Nah, something more cheerful. Hmm… Pale Blue Eyes?_

The song ended, and Thomas tapped play. 

_Sometimes I feel so happy_

_Sometimes I feel so sad_

_Sometimes I feel so happy_

_But mostly you just make me mad_

_Baby, you just make me mad_

_Linger on your pale blue eyes_

_Linger on your pale blue eyes_

_It's more maudlin than I remember_ , Thomas thought. _Still a love song though._

Jimmy seemed to either be listening intently, or to have dozed off, for he didn't move or open his eyes until the song was over. Then he picked his phone up off the grass between them and scrolled in silence. Thomas was beginning to think he'd made him uncomfortable, when he evidently found what he was looking for. 

"How about this one?" Jimmy turned up the volume.

_Have mercy, baby on a poor girl like me_

_You know I'm falling, falling, falling, at your feet_

_I'm tingling right from my head to my toes_

_So help me, help me, help me make the feeling go_

_'Cause when the loving starts, and the lights go down_

_And there's not another living soul around_

_You woo me until the sun comes up_

_And you say that you love me_

Thomas listened, the cruel temptress of hope taking up residence in his chest. When it was over, Jimmy got to his feet, dusting off his trousers. "Well, no rest for the wicked." And headed back towards the kitchen building, before Thomas had time to react. 

Thomas's gaze followed his form, until he remembered where he was, and got to his feet as well. _Well, that was interesting._

They didn't speak for the rest of the shift, but Thomas, running on autopilot, spent the last few hours of the day thinking things through. When he got home, he pulled a large box out from beneath his bed, and rummaged through it until he found what he was looking for. 

The next day was particularly chaotic, as it was the first week of September, and summer would be over soon. He barely got the chance to stand still, let alone laze in the shade with Jimmy, but he did manage to catch him as they crossed paths, gesturing for him to step aside for a moment. 

"Though you might like this." Thomas pulled the CD out of his jacket pocket. 

" _A Day at the Races_." Jimmy read aloud. "Nice, love a bit of Queen."

"Tracks six and eight are my favourites." Thomas ginned behind his mask, hoping Jimmy could tell. _Somebody To Love and Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy, that ought to drop the hint._

"I'll listen to it tonight, thanks, Thomas."

At that, they got back to work.

Thomas barely slept a wink that night, worrying he'd miscalculated and wrestling with hope and the fear of rejection. But, as he pulled up in the car park the next morning, Jimmy was waiting for him in the space beside his, car doors open and music blaring.

"Thomas!" Jimmy waved him over. He was already wearing his mask, and Thomas grabbed his as he got out, but he caught Jimmy's eyes as he put it on and gave him a small, sheepish smile. "Get in a moment." Jimmy pointed to the passenger seat beside him. Thomas obliged, and Jimmy rummaged through the glove box, until he pulled out a CD, and got it out of the case and into the CD player so quick Thomas couldn't make out what it was. He skipped a few tracks then leant back into the seat, arms folded behind his head. "Tell me what you make of this one." He sounded amused. Thomas listened.

_I want you_

_I want you so bad, babe_

_I want you_

_I want you so bad_

_It's driving me mad_

_It's driving me mad_

Thomas felt his eyes grow wide, and his cheeks go bright red, as the song continued to play, and Jimmy lounged in his seat, one eye on Thomas's reactions. 

_I want you_

_I want you so bad, babe_

_I want you_

_I want you so bad_

_It's driving me mad_

_It's driving me mad_

Jimmy pressed stop half way through, having made his point. "Well?" He turned to Thomas, expectantly. Thomas's mouth moved wordlessly for a moment, before he regained the power of speech enough to ask. 

"Jimmy, do you want to come over for a drink sometime?"

"I would love to!" Thomas could tell from the way his eyes sparkled that he was beaming.

A few evenings later, there was a long anticipated knock at Thomas's door. Thomas cast a glance at the face mask on the side table as he went to open it, but decided against it. It was the first time he'd been properly dressed in his own apartment in months, and he'd even bothered to shave for the occasion, no sense covering up his efforts to look good now. 

He opened it to find the most attractive man he'd ever seen stood before him, leaning against the door frame with one elbow, a glass of wine in the other hand. "May I come in?" Jimmy, facemaskless, asked, and Thomas had to remind himself not to stare. 

A few hours, some questionable take out and a shared bottle of wine later, Jimmy was on the floor by Thomas's high-fi set up, rooting through his CD collection, enthusing over their shared tastes and raving about his favourite albums. Thomas watched him with increasingly heavy eyes from the couch. 

"Let's put this one on!" Jimmy's eyes practically sparkled, as he held out Thomas's copy of _Rumours_.

"You really love Fleetwood Mac don't you?" Thomas smiled.

"I do, you've got me there." Jimmy smirked at him, and Thomas felt hope spread her wings inside him as their eyes met. 

"Alright. Skip to track six though." Jimmy nodded, and Thomas came to sit beside him as he put the song on. 

_For you, there'll be no more crying_

_For you, the sun will be shining_

_And I feel that when I'm with you_

_It's alright, I know it's right_

"Hmm, I love this one." Jimmy sighed, and wriggled closer to Thomas, so their shoulders just barely touched.

"Me too." Thomas replied, his eyes fixed on Jimmy's serene face, as he closed his eyes, lost in music.

_To you, I'll give the world_

_To you, I'll never be cold_

_'Cause I feel that when I'm with you_

_It's alright, I know it's right_

Thomas reached out a hand to Jimmy's cheek, and Jimmy turned his face towards him, eyes still closed. _Beautiful_ , Thomas thought, and slowly, gently, pressed his lips to the top of Jimmy's cheekbones, first one, then the other, just beneath his closed eyes. Jimmy leaned in to his touch and smiled. 

_And the songbirds are singing, like they know the score_

_And I love you, I love you, I love you, like never before_

Jimmy pulled back and opened his eyes, meeting Thomas's heavily lidded gaze.

"I like your eyes." Jimmy whispered, and Thomas laughed softly despite himself.

"I like yours, too." He whispered back, before claiming Jimmy's lips in a deep, gentle kiss.

_And the songbirds keep singing, like they know the score_

_And I love you, I love you, I love you_

_Like never before, like never before, like never before_


End file.
